According to Andrew Rodgers, the executive director of RiverRun International Film Festival, based in Winston-Salem, except for generous taxpayer funded subsidies, aka film incentives, there is nothing special about North Carolina to attract movie makers. When asked by the Winston-Salem Journal about the Senate’s plan to significantly reduce the flow of treasury funds to the film industry and convert the current subsidy program from refundable tax credits to direct grants, Rodgers essentially stated that the only reason why movie makers would consider coming to the state is to take advantage of taxpayer handouts. In response to the Journal Rodgers asks “Why in the world would Hollywood care to mess around with North Carolina under this new system when they can get a much better deal somewhere else?” Sorry North Carolina, there’s nothing special about your beaches, your charming southern cities and towns, or scenery, or your mountain communities, big Hollywood is only interested in you for your corporate welfare payments.
by Dr. Roy Cordato
Senior Economist Emeritus